Numb
by UnicornxNinja
Summary: Amber Long has been placed in Lyle House for "seeing people in distress". But with the help of her new friends Simon, Darek, Tori, Mila and her new flame, Brady, she'll find out her new title: Shaman. Will she escape, or be terminated?
1. Chapter 1

I'm twelve. Well, that's what I'm told I am. I'm walking down the sidewalk, or at least I feel like I'm walking, but I'm not. I'm really falling. Falling, falling, like there's no bottom. Because there isn't. Not yet anyway.

Falling and falling and falling and-

"AMBER!"

I'm springing up and realizing that I was asleep on the sidewalk. Again. There's no police this time because my parents know exactly where I am.

"Amber Emily Long! You get off the filthy sidewalk this instant!" It's my mother, my dad probably not too far behind.

I'm not responding. But before I can turn away, I'm being picked up and dragged to the house. Being lectured about wandering off all the time and falling asleep on the sidewalk.

But I'm not really sleeping. I'd never fall asleep on the sidewalk. It's just that my parents don't know what I'm really doing.

And neither do I…

**Four Years Later**

"Stanford." I breathed slowly, taking it all in. "Stanford?"

"Your grades are excellent, dear," my mother said. "Stanford will be begging for you."

"And if they're not," added my father, "we'll make sure they are." He tapped the wallet in his pocket.

"But I don't want to go to Stanford." I said calmly, trying to keep my cool. "I want to go to the Art Institute."

"You mustn't be wasting your time on art, dear!" My mother said. "So many years of excellent grades wasted on an art school?"

"When Stanford is in your grasp?" finished my dad.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, like the school counselor said I should. I opened them, looked at my parents, and shook my head. Life would never go the I want it to. I headed for my room.

* * *

It's not like I'm going to get all depressed and start cutting myself just because my parents won't let me go to the college I want to. I grew up with them planning my future. It's not like it's going to change now.

Amber Long is what they call me. But when my parents are mad, it's "Amber Emily Long". But it's just a name. Nothing more than a piece of paper that came with my birth. I've always hated the name, but I just keep reminding myself that a name is but a title to point you out from the others. Pointless I suppose.

I'm sixteen, turning seventeen in a few months. Oh joy. One step closer to "Stanford". That is, if I actually live that long.

I've always wondered if my parents would care if I just walked into the kitchen, grabbed a steak knife, and stabbed myself. I've thought about this whenever I get mad at them, but I always remain solemn. The last thing I need is ANOTHER social worker. The only reason I have them is because my parents are big snoops. While "cleaning my room", my mother discovered my sketchbook. Let's just say she didn't find unicorns and rainbows.

Now I'm a prisoner of this gigantic house, only allowed out with a trusted friend. Life stinks, or at least…_stunk_. Compared to "life" now, that "old life" seems like heaven. But that's giving away the end of the story.

It started with that phone call. That answer. But I don't blame Naomi, nor Brady. Nor Mila, nor Tori. Not anyone. I blame myself. I blame Dr. Davidoff. I blame everyone in the Edison Group with their stupid lies. So…SO many lies.

_R-R-R-RING!_

"Hello?"

"Hey, Amber."

"Naomi? What's up?"

"We have to get to the mall."

"You and your shopping emergencies."

I sighed into the receiver. "Come on over."

* * *

There was a knock at the door. I opened up and, sure enough, it was Naomi. From the almost completely pink, long hair and milky skin to the sea blue eyes. I was always jealous considering my parents would have a heart attack if I dyed my dishwater blonde hair. But I couldn't do anything about my hardly-tan skin and boring gray eyes.

She started dragging me out the door. "C'mon! Let's go! They close at six, ya know!

I looked at my watch. 2:58. Plenty of time. But not for Naomi.

After about five minutes of gasping and trying to tell her we didn't have to run, we finally settled on a Walk n' Talk.

She started telling me about the cute new outfit she was going to buy. And I told her that shopping could be done online. I rarely ask my parents for anything, but they just keep it coming. I started telling Naomi about this when I was cut off by her deep stare.

"What's up?" I asked, but that question was answered when she broke into a run and began calling for me afterwards.

I began jogging across the street when what she saw came into sight; someone was getting mugged. I broke into a sprint. I got there just as the mugger was on his merry way. I started after him, but Naomi stopping me shaking her head, then bent down to check the women's pulse.

"Oh god," I said getting up close to he wounded women. She looked like she was in her twenties. Long, blonde hair and dressed in red and black.

"Amber, help her out, I'll call the police," Naomi said, grabbing her phone.

"Me!"

"Just do it!"

I couldn't think, not with all the chaos and screaming. But apparently, I didn't need to think. Just do. For when my hands touched the women, she stopped moving. Was she dead? Had I killed her? I freaked out. That is, until she shot up, wound completely gone. I breathed a sigh of relief, only to look up and see wide-eyed policemen grab for me.

I'm screwed.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," the police officer, Officer Dan, said. "Your friend told you to comfort the women. She was twitching and screaming and once you touched her wound, she just…stopped?"

"And sprang up," I added. "Alive and wound completely gone."

Officer Dan took a few notes, then asked my parents if he could talk to them outside.

I couldn't see much of what was happening because the window shades were closed, only shaded figures. I saw another car pull up and a man stepped out. He talked to them for a bit, and then…left. Just left.

My parents and Officer Dan walked back in.

My dad glanced at me and just barely shook his head. The officer sat next to me on the couch, holding something, but I couldn't see what.

"Amber," he said. "I know you're confused, and we're getting you help. But for now, I'm very sorry.

His arm went around my shoulder, making me feel a bit awkward, until I realized what was going on. A small pinch stabbed through my right arm, making my veins turn ice cold.

I looked at the officer. Then I looked at my parents.

"Wh-whuh?" The room began swaying and everything going fuzzy. The last thing I remember was having straps tightened around me as I was lifted to a gurney.

* * *

_**A word of advice; when you're a shaman, dreams SUCK!**_

"_Don't you get it?" a black-haired girl in front of me shouted. "Once you're in, there's no way out!"_

"_There has to be one way," a girl next to me said._

"_Yeah," said the first one. "Suicide."_

"_Either that or they murder you themselves," added a boy to my other side._

_Next to him was a man. No, not a man. A teen? Seventeen? Eighteen?_

_But behind me was the real sight to behold. A boy huddled up in a corner; hands over his ears, screaming "No!" over and over again, water streaming from his eyes. Sometimes a little blood or vomit came with his No's, but he kept his head down and his eyes shut tight._

_I didn't know where I was. Was I in hell? Who were these people? Is this even me?_

_The dream shifted to a man standing over a girl. Me? She looked like me. Well, at least a version of me. Pale skin, raggedy clothes, but nothing could drag you away from those wide, gray eyes, full of fear and hatred._

_The man was a fully dressed surgeon, hovering over her like he was about to cut her open and eat her alive. Electricity beamed from his tool as he leaned closer and closer to her with it until finally…_

_

* * *

_I woke up screaming.

I was in a hospital of some sort. One I didn't recognize. Outside was my dad talking to some nurses. Once again, he glanced at me and shook his head. Then he left. Just left! Abandoned his own daughter in the hospital. "Hello, DCFS?"

The door clicked open. My mom walked in. Well, at least I had one parent who cared.

"Hi, sweetie," she said.

I sat up, sleepy-eyed.

"Um, hi mom," I managed to choke out.

"You look like you need some water, She handed me a glass and allowed me to drink. While I was drinking, she slipped a small gift under my hand and winked. When I set the glass down, the question exploded right from my lips. "Why am I here?"

"Well, um," she coughed. "I-um…"

After about thirty seconds of trying to spit it out, she finally got it. "A group home. We're sending you to a group home." She said, eyes shut as if I was about to attack.

I didn't know what to say. So many questions lined up in my head. I finally decided on one. "A group home? Like for the mentally insane?"

"No, no, dear, not insane. It's just...you need help."

"With what?" I was surprised at the volume of my own voice. My mother looked a bit shocked at this. I cleared my throat. "With what?" I said again, quieter this time.

"Hallucinating," she said, quietly. "You thought you saw a girl in distress, and ending up tending to no one's care."

"But I-"

I was interrupted by a doctor walking in. "Mrs. Long," he said. "It's time to go."

"Go?" I asked.

No one responded. My mom just nodded and I was presented with another sedative. This time I tried fighting, but I got nothing. I ended up blacking out, back into dream mode.

_**Good night, young shaman. Pleasant dreams…**_

_**

* * *

**_**Yey! It's done. I got this idea in the middle of reading The Awakening, so I'm pretty damn proud of it. ^^ All the planning and sleepless nights of when I was finally going to write this and I'm glad I did.**

**Please review and all that jazz. Thanks for reading. ^_^**

**XXXXOOOO,**

**~Nikki-san**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, ma skillets. Here's another update for you crazy youngsters. But first, a word from our disclaimer!**

**Disclaimer: I did not create the awesomeness of Darkest Powers (even though the ending was HORRIBLE!). All rights go to Kelly Armstrong. I own nothing!**

**

* * *

**"Lyle House."

I repeated the name slowly in my head over and over again as I stared at the bright yellow walls and over-cheery furniture. In my new "room" there were two beds. One for me, and one for my "roommate".

"It's for special people. Like you," my mother said, trying to make me feel better.

_In what way am I special?_ I asked myself. But I kept my mouth shut.

My mother kissed me on the head and handed me that same gift from her again.

"Be good," she said with a wink.

"And where are you going?" I asked.

A plump nurse, who I was introduced to as Miss Talbot, stepped in. "You need to be able to adjust to this home by yourself. But don't worry. Your mom will be able to visit you soon."

_I don't want a visit,_ I thought. _I want to go home._

_**She is her mother's daughter…**_

_**

* * *

**_I woke up to a yelp and a door shutting the next morning. I sat up. There was a girl there, dark skin, blue eyes, and a "Team SHUT THE HELL UP!" t-shirt.

"Sorry," she said. "I just didn't expect to have a roommate. They didn't tell me."

"Didn't you notice when you walked in to go to bed last night?"

She shook her head. "I slept with Tori last night. We were studying together and just fell asleep." She stuck out a hand. "I'm Mila. Mila Andrews."

I shook the hand. "Amber Long."

She turned to the mirror to start brushing her hair. "So what did you do to end up in this rat hole?" she asked.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure," I said, getting up.

She threw back her head and gave a short laugh. "None of us are."

"Really?"

"Nope," she said. "We have one act up and they throw us in here. It's like downloading one illegal thing off the internet and they throw you in jail for life."

I nodded slowly.

"Well, we better get down to breakfast," she said, getting up. "Don't worry. You can eat in your PJ's."

She led me down the stairs.

"So who else is here?" I asked.

"Let's see," she put a finger to her cheek. "There's Tori, she was the newest before you. Me, of course. Then there's Brady, and the two brothers Simon and Derek."

"Brothers?"

"Derek was adopted."

I nodded my head slowly.

"But you won't see any of the boys at breakfast," she said. "They only eat lunch and dinner with us."

We entered the dining room. It was a bit less cheery than the others rooms, but still enough to freak you out.

"Yo," came voice behind us. We whipped around.

"Hey, Tori," Mila said.

A girl with short black hair, an _Aero87_ tee, and about three of those "iHeartBoobies" bracelets walked toward us.

"Is this the fresh meat?" she asked. I felt ten times smaller.

"Tori, this is Amber Long," Mila said.

She stuck out a hand. "Tori Enright," she said. "I was new before you. So I know a bit how you feel."

_Oh, so you were called crazy for trying to help a woman in distress who wasn't actually there, too?_ I thought.

I had a feeling I was going to hate it here.

* * *

My suspicions were right about this place. Three words. Colour coated schedules.

Right before lunch, Miss Talbot sat with me on the couch in the front hall. She handed me a schedule of my daily activities.

I apparently had classes, breaks, three meals a day, snacks, and not to mention therapy. It was also our job to get thirty minutes of exercise each day and nonstop chores on the weekends. I knew I was going to hate it here.

It was only ten minutes until lunch when Miss Talbot told me I could hang out in the Entertainment Room until it was time to eat. Oh joy.

I didn't have classes yet because my teachers haven't sent in any work. So that meant today was chores galore after lunch.

My life is shit.

* * *

I met the boys at lunch. Brady, Simon, and Derek. Simon introduced himself whereas Brady mumbled a short "Hi" then went back to picking at his food. But his greeting was godly compared to Derek's. He didn't even greet me at all. Just scooped down food as if someone was going to take all the leftovers before him. Which, believe me, they won't.

For something healthy, this was crap. Half sandwiches with a side of carrots, dip, and apples. Plus a glass of milk and, woohoo, more pills.

Simon, Tori and I ended up getting into a conversation about pets. Simon didn't have any, but Tori started describing her huge Siamese cat more to Simon than me. I know a crush when I see one. Simon cut her off by asking if I had any pets.

"Actually, I have a little Yorkie dog," I said. I pulled a picture from my back pocket and laid it on the table.

Brady looked up. "He's so small," he laughed.

Tori rolled her eyes. "I can think of something else that's small, Brady."

He immediately stopped laughing.

Tori was pretty okay.

* * *

_**The young shaman thinks that everything is still normal. So harmless and innocent. We can't have that, now can we? Let's kick it up a notch…

* * *

**_

**Short. Like me. Haha.**

**Yeah, it's pretty short. I just wanted this whole introduction thing over with so we can get to the good stuff.**

**Okay, please review. I allow constructive criticism only. Flames shall be used as gas for my car when I start driving. I'll have the first car that runs on internet flames. WooHoo. ^^**

**P3AC3!**

**~Nikki-san **


	3. Chapter 3

Dr. Gill was one of those people where you look at them, and immediately find distaste. But if I wanted out, as Tori told me earlier, I had to be a star-patient. That means agreeing with everything she says.

"Ah, Miss Long," she said as I opened the door. "Please come in."

I entered the some-what less cheerful room with chairs that made you want to sink into them and stay there. It had a soft, nice smelling air freshener and a file cabinet in the corner. I sat down in the chair as far away from the women as I could get.

I couldn't help but eye the file cabinet. Couldn't help but to think if my file was in there yet or not.

"Miss Long-"

"Amber," I corrected her.

"Amber," she said. "I wanted to talk you about these hallucinations of yours. I wanted to know you're side of the story."

"There's no side to it," I mumbled. "I'm crazy."

"You're not crazy," she said, as if I were stupid instead. "A mental disorder does not mean crazy."

_It did last time I checked, _I thought.

Dr. Gill walked over to the file cabinet and pulled something out of a file tagged "Amber Emily Long". She took it back to her seat.

"Now, Amber," she began once more. "It says here that since you were a child, you have been leaving your home in the middle of the night and fallen asleep on the sidewalk."

"I don't really think I'm leaving," the words slipped out of my mouth. I quickly covered it.

"Oh?"

I'm such a dumb ass. I sighed. "Well, it doesn't feel like it. I go to sleep, and I never remember leaving my house, but I wake up on the sidewalk."

"Amber, we ran a few tests at the hospital and we've diagnosed you with Oneirophrenia."

"Huh?" I was confused.

"It's a hallucinatory, sort of dream-like state, where you think you're doing something, but you're really not."

"But what does that have to do with the women I saw?"

"Those were the hallucinations," she said matter-of-factly. "Oneirophrenia is caused by sleep deprivation or drugs. I'm sure you don't do drugs at home, dear."

"No ma'am," I replied.

"And how do you sleep?" she asked.

I paused, wondering if it was a trick question to see if I'm going to tell the truth or not. What if she had the answer in that file and she was setting me up? I had to try the truth.

"Amber?" she asked again. "How do you-"

"I-I don't," I said cutting her off.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, see, it's that whole waking up on the sidewalk thing," I said. "I guess I've convinced myself that something's going on with the whole 'leaving the house or not' thing, and I'm a bit scared to."

Dr. Gill scribbled down some notes. Then resumed with the questioning.

"Amber, how're things at home?"

My body went stiff. "Fine," I lied. "Just fine."

"I hear you're going to Stanford."

"Right," I said in a shaky voice. "S-Stanford."

"How do you feel about it?"

I swallowed hard. "Standford's fine," I said. "I'd prefer an art college, but no, Stanford is…fine."

More scribbling.

"Well, Amber," Dr. Gill said, finally. "You seem like a very fine young woman. If you have anymore question about Oneirophrenia I'd be glad to answer them."

"Nope," I said, forcing my best smile. "I'm good."

"Good," she replied, returning the smile. "Then let's continue."

I sighed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

I came back from brushing my teeth that night. I was in my pajama shorts and purple tank top. Lights were supposed to go out soon, and I had no intention of sleeping tonight either.

"So," Mila said. "You had you're first session with Dr. Gill? What's the famous label?"

I sighed. "Oneirophrenia."

"Ha!" she fell back on her bed, laughing. "I've never heard that one before! I'm 'Delirium'."

"Delirium?" I asked.

"It's some hyperactive delusional crap," she said. "What about you? What's Oneirophrenia mean?"

"I didn't ask," I replied.

"Oh, well you should look it up," she said. "There's a computer in the entertainment room. You should look tomorrow."

I nodded. I was about to say something, but Miss Talbot interrupted our conversation.

"Girls," she said, entering the room. "It's time for lights out. And Amber?"

I turned "Mm?"

"Here," she handed me a pill.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Sleeping pill," she replied, handing me a glass of water.

"Oh," I said. "I don't need this."

She enclosed my hand around it and looked me in the eye. "Yes, yes you do." And she watched me take the pill.

I really didn't want to sleep tonight.

* * *

I woke up when it was still dark out. That probably meant my fighting of the sleeping pill kind of worked.

I gave a yawn; glad I didn't walk out the door in the middle of the night to sleep on the sidewalk.

I looked over at Mila who was still sleeping and sighed. This wasn't like my house; I had nothing to do at night. I stood up on the bed and ended up falling through it.

_Through it._

I stood up. "How did I-"

I stopped short when I looked at my bed. It-it was me! Sleeping on the bed! But how did I-

_Oh, right, this is a dream. Duh._

I pinched myself. Nothing. I rolled my eyes to the back of my head. Nothing. Hm, that eye thing usually works.

I tried testing reality by reading. You read with one side of your brain and dream with the other, right? But when I tried picking up a book, my hand went right through it.

What's going on?

I tried reading my makeup tubes, and I could read them perfectly.

That means…this is _real?_

_

* * *

__**She does not appreciate my gift! Now the young shaman will pay!

* * *

**_

**YEY! TIS FINISHED!**

**Please review and all the hippity hop jazz. Flames will be used for building a castle in my backyard, yay!**

**Fez's RULE!**

**~Nikki-senpi**


	4. Chapter 4

**SORRY I'M PAST MY DUE DATE!

* * *

**

"Mila!" I shouted/whispered. She shot up.

"Whuh?"

I could tell she was stilled dazed from the sleeping pill last night. Once her vision came back, she looked at me.

"What's up, Amber?" she yawned.

"What's _up_?" I asked. "I'll show you what's up."

I brought my hand through the bedpost. Mila's eyes widened.

"Y-your-"

"A ghost?"

"A shaman!"

She looked over at my body on the bed, and I looked at her, confused.

"Shaman?" I asked.

"Sit down," she said. "There's a lot of explaining to do."

* * *

I couldn't believe this crap that I was hearing. But right now, it was the only reasonable explanation.

"Genesis project?" I asked.

"Some experiment they're doing with the kids like us."

"And how did you end up here if you know about it?"

Mila looked at the floor. I was afraid I brought on a bad memory. She had she was a…what was that word again? Necromancer. Meaning she can see ghosts, which apparently counts when I'm…well, doing this. Astral projecting, she calls it.

"My dad sold me into the Genesis Project," she finally said.

"Oh…" my voice was soft. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," she waved it off. "Being Dr. Gill's star patient and I'll be out in no time." She grinned.

And so we sat there, trying to figure out how to get myself back into my body before breakfast.

"We could try just placing you back on top of your body, then maybe you'll go in," Mila suggested.

I agreed to her plan and tried it. After about five seconds of lying on top of my sleeping body I gave up and rolled back out of bed. I pressed my face to the floor. "This'll never work," I said. "Just turn me in now."

Mila and I sighed simultaneously and sat there thinking until morning. That's when someone knocked on the door.

"Girls," Miss Talbot stepped in. Mila looked up in shock. Miss Talbot sighed and looked at my sleeping body. She tried shaking 'me' awake. "Amber, honey, time to get up."

"Um," Mila chewed her words, looking for a good lie. "She's out cold form the sleeping pill. Don't worry, I'll get her up." She put on a fake smile.

Miss Talbot stared for a while, then returned the smile. "Breakfast is in ten minutes," she said, then left.

I laughed. "Way to top it off with a smile." She laughed too. "Now how do we-" I stopped short when I felt a sudden jolt, to which I found the world going black.

* * *

"Amber."

Mila shook me awake.

I sprung up. "What time is it?"

She laughed. "Chillax, you were only out for a couple of minutes."

"Oh…" I looked at the clock. "Well, let's get to breakfast then."

* * *

My day at Lyle House went by just as normally as my days at home. In fact, maybe even more normal. I went to school, I did a few chores, I socialized, I even got to pick the movie for Movie Night. After flipping through the anime movies in the catalog and finding nothing to my liking, I decided on "The Sixth Sense" in Chiller section.

But something weird happened during the movie. On the couch, Brady sat next to me, and I felt chills that were not related to the movie. Something about Brady made me shiver when I though about him. With his sea green eyes and dark hair. The problem was, I didn't know why.

See, I was never the kind of person to fall in love. I've never even had a crush in my life. So when a feeling comes along about a boy, is that supposed to mean something?

Eventually, I got to a point where I couldn't take the feeling anymore. I told Mila I was going to turn in early. She simply nodded, her eyes wide and glued to the screen. I couldn't blame her. I mean, for the parts I did watch, I can't say I didn't feel a bit shocked myself.

Once in my room, I sat on the bed and listened to my iPod. Flipping through the songs on it, I became annoyed with how many love songs there were. I sighed and fell back on my bed. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Wow, sorry it's so short. I wanted to finish this and this was all I could get out of that big old idea maker I call my head.**

**Sorry I'm way past my due date. I've been a little preoccupied with school and other new fanfictions I'm writing.**

**So please comment if you want a free hug. Please flame if you want your face ripped off in the middle of the night and get thrown down a sewer (yes, I got that from a chain letter).**

**Love you guys!**

**~Nikki-sama**


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